Transmission point indication in coordinated multi-point system

Abstract

Embodiments of the present disclosure describe devices, methods, computer-readable media and systems configurations for transmission point indication in a coordinated multipoint (CoMP) system. A user equipment (UE) may receive common reference signal (CRS) parameters associated with individual base stations of a CoMP measurement set. The UE may also receive a transmission point index corresponding to a first base station of the CoMP measurement set that is scheduled for communications with the UE. A mapping module of the UE may produce a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) mapping pattern based on the CRS parameters associated with the scheduled base station.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus to be employed by a user equipment (UE), the apparatus comprising:
 communications circuitry to:
 receive, via radio resource control (RRC) signaling, common reference signal (CRS) parameters associated with individual evolved Node Bs (eNBs) of a coordinated multipoint (CoMP) measurement set including a plurality of eNBs, wherein the CRS parameters include a number of CRS antenna ports, a CRS frequency shift, and a transmission point index of the individual eNBs; and 
 receive a downlink control information (DCI) message including a transmission point index corresponding to a first eNB of the CoMP measurement set; and 
 
 mapping circuitry coupled with the communications circuitry, the mapping circuitry to produce a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) mapping pattern based on the received CRS parameters associated with the first eNB; 
 wherein the CRS parameters are received from a second eNB of the CoMP measurement set, and wherein the DCI message is received from the first or second eNB. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the communications circuitry is further to use the CRS parameters associated with the first eNB for subsequent communications with the first eNB. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the CRS parameters further include information related to orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) resource elements dedicated to control information for the individual eNBs. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the CRS parameters further include multicast/broadcast single frequency network (MBSFN) information for the individual eNBs of the CoMP measurement set. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the communications circuitry is further to receive a transmission from the first eNB, the transmission including an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) frame having a plurality of CRSs, wherein the CRSs are arranged within the frame according to the PDSCH mapping pattern. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the CRS parameters are received as part of a configuration protocol for the CoMP measurement set, wherein the configuration protocol further includes configuring channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) parameters and uplink control channel parameters for communications between the apparatus and one or more eNBs of the CoMP measurement set. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising memory configured to store the received CRS parameters. 
     
     
       8. An apparatus to be employed by a serving evolved Node B (eNB), the apparatus including:
 communications circuitry; and 
 coordinated multipoint (CoMP) management circuitry coupled to the communications circuitry, the CoMP management circuitry to:
 transmit, to a user equipment (UE) via the communications circuitry using radio resource control (RRC) signaling, common reference signal (CRS) parameters associated with individual eNBs of a CoMP measurement set including a plurality of eNBs, wherein the plurality of eNBs in the CoMP measurement set include the serving eNB and a first eNB, wherein the eNBs of the CoMP measurement set are associated with respective transmission point indexes, and wherein the CRS parameters include a number of CRS antenna ports, a CRS frequency shift of the individual eNBs and a transmission point index of the individual eNBs; and 
 transmit, to the UE via the communications circuitry, a downlink control information (DCI) message to indicate, based on a first transmission point index associated with the first eNB of the CoMP measurement set, that the first eNB is selected to communicate with the UE. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the serving eNB is to manage communications between the UE and the plurality of eNBs of the CoMP measurement set. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the CRS parameters are transmitted as part of a configuration protocol for the CoMP measurement set, wherein the configuration protocol further includes configuring channel state information reference signal (CSI-RS) parameters and uplink control channel parameters for communications between the UE and one or more eNBs of the CoMP measurement set. 
     
     
       11. A method, comprising:
 receiving, by a user equipment (UE) via radio resource control (RRC) signaling, common reference signal (CRS) parameters associated with individual transmission points of a coordinated multipoint (CoMP) measurement set including a plurality of transmission points, wherein the CRS parameters include a number of CRS antenna ports, a CRS frequency shift, and a transmission point index of the individual transmission points; 
 receiving, by the UE via a downlink control information (DCI) transmission, a transmission point index corresponding to a first transmission point of the coordinated multipoint measurement set, wherein the CRS parameters are received from a second transmission point and the DCI transmission is received from the first transmission point or the second transmission point; and 
 determining a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) mapping pattern based on the CRS parameters associated with the first transmission point. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11 , further comprising receiving, by the UE, a transmission from the first transmission point, wherein the transmission includes an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) frame having a plurality of CRSs, wherein the CRSs are arranged within the frame according to the PDSCH mapping pattern. 
     
     
       13. One or more non-transitory computer-readable media having instructions, stored thereon, that, when executed case a user equipment to:
 obtain, via radio resource control (RRC) signaling, common reference signal (CRS) parameters associated with individual transmission points of a coordinated multipoint (CoMP) measurement set including a plurality of transmission points, the CRS parameters including a number of CRS antenna ports, a CRS frequency shift, and a transmission point index of the individual transmission points; 
 obtain, via a downlink control information (DCI) message, a transmission point index corresponding to a first transmission point of the coordinated multipoint measurement set, wherein the CRS parameters are obtained from a second transmission point and the DCI message is obtained from the first transmission point or the second transmission point; and 
 determine a physical downlink shared channel (PDSCH) mapping pattern based on the CRS parameters associated with the first transmission point. 
 
     
     
       14. The one or more non-transitory computer-readable media of  claim 13 , wherein the instructions, when executed, further cause the user equipment to:
 receive a transmission from the first transmission point, wherein the transmission includes an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) frame having a plurality of CRSs, wherein the CRSs are arranged within the frame according to the PDSCH mapping pattern.